Planting of a 10,000-tree forest in honor of Dr. Stephen S. Wise at the Ein Hashofet colony in Palestine was announced tonight at a Sabbath dinner of the Hadassah convention in the Hotel Astor. Dr. Wise, guest of honor at the dinner, was praised for “a life of distinguished service for his people” by Mrs. Herman Shulman, Hadassah secretary.
The first 100 trees will be called the Louise Wise Garden, in honor of Mrs. Wise, Mrs. Shulman said.
Before the dinner, 200 delegates joined in a candle-lighting ceremony at the hotel. The first candle was lit by Mrs. Edward Epstein, 79-year-old mother of Mrs. Moses P. Epstein, president of Hadassah. Arrangements for the ceremony were made by the Hadassah national board so that its orthodox members would not have to forego customary religious practices during the convention.
At afternoon and morning sessions, the 2,000 delegates discussed internal problems dealing with fund-raising and political education. Mrs. Sidney Leibowitz, child welfare chairman, reported that Hadassah provides pre and post-natal care for 85 per cent of Jerusalem mothers and has aided in reducing the infant mortality rate from 128 per thousand in 1929 to 58 per thousand in 1937. Mrs. Robert Szold, Palestine committee chairman, reported that Hadassah had spent $367,868 for its hospitalization, public health and school hygiene work in Palestine in the past year.
A budget of $175,000 for land reclamation and afforestation work in Palestine will be recommended by Mrs. Shulman at the Sunday morning session. The convention will close Sunday with elections.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
